Sliding valve construction for internal-combustion engines



A ril 15, 1930. H. A. FLOGAUS SLIDING VALVE CONSTRUCTION FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed May 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 15, 1930. H. A. FLOGAUS 1,754,787

SLIDING VALVE CONSTRUCTION FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed May 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT orrice HOWARD A. FLOGAUS, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 RALPH L. SKINNER, OF

' DETROIT, MICHIGAN I SLIDING VALVE GOHSTIVUCTION FOB, INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed May 2c, 1928, serial No.

My invention has relation to internal-combustion engine valves, more particularly those which reciprocate to control the engine intake and exhaust ports, and concerns especially the lubrication of such reciprocatory elements.

To permit those acquainted withthis art to fully understand the invention both from functional and structural 'standpoints, a present, preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and throughout the several views of which like reference characters have been employed to designate the same parts.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is 'a longitudinal, central section through one cylinder of a multi-cylinder internal-combustion engine equipped with the novel improvements Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2--2 of Figure 1; V

Figure 3 is a development of one of the reciprocatory substantially semi-cylindrical valves;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sec tion on line 4-4: of Figure 3; 9 Figure -5 is a similar section on line 55 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a small section on line 66 of Figure 3.

.Referring to these drawin s, it will be noted that the engine inclu es the usual,

water-jacketed cylinder 11 having inlet and exhaust ports 12 and 13, such cylinder having within it and spacedslightly inwardly;- away from its inner cylindrical surface, a, stationary sleeve 14 su ported from its upper end only by a head 15 astened to the topwa'll of the cylinder in any approved fashion and providing means for the accommodation of the customary spark-plug 16, such sleeve on inner cylinder having ports 17 ,an'd118 inl, register with the cylinder ports 12 and 13, all as is clearly shown. To control or open and close such ports-in pro or timed relation, the engine is provided wit two, ported, substantially semi-circular intake and exhaust valves 19 and 21,'accom-- modated in the annular space between thef 280,775. Renewed September 14, 1929.

outercylinder 11 and its correlated inner sleeve 14, such valves being reciprocated by eccentric or crank mechanisms 22 and 23, re-

spectively.

Such a construction, of course, provides a sealing-head compartment 24 between the cylinder ,11 and sleeve 14: above the upper ends of the moving valves, and the opposite sides of such chamber, practically above the centers of the two valves, are connected by passages 25 and 26 through the cylinder-wall to a pair of pipes or tubes 27, 28, respectively, by means of hollow securing screws 29, 29

with transverse apertures 31, such screws bemg of well-known constructlon.

Both of such conduits 27, 28 are joined to any suitable source of suction, such as that present in the fuel-inlet system of the engine, for example, the engine intake-manifold, whereby the excess lubricant in such compartment will be automatically withdrawn and may be returned to the engine lubrication system for reuse.

Such withdrawal also prevents the occur- 7 rence of'the accumulation or building up of an excessive fluid pressure in the specified compartment.

Below the inlet and exhaust ports of the engine, the cylinder-wall has passages 32 and 33 in like manner: joined to tubes or pipes 34, 35 similarly connected to a source of suction for lubricant withdrawal purposes to prevent a surplus or superabundance of the lubricant, which travels up the valves, from reaching the engine ports, where it would be uselessly consumed; r

The two sliding valves are of much the Sam construction so that a full description of one will suifice for both. w e

, Referring to Figure 3, it will be perceived that, below the port or ports 36 of t'lievalve,

the latter on its outer surface has a plurality of vertically-separated, horizontal or transverse, lubricant channels 37, 38, 39, 41, none of which extend to the side edges of the valve, although each of the two, upper channels 37 and 38 have shallower and smaller extension channels 42, 42 reaching to such edges, so that they communicate directly with the upright,

longitudinal spaces between the adjacent edges of the two valves 19 and 21.

A slot 43 connecting the center portions of grooves 37 38 and 39 is cut through the valve and is in register with the corresponding cylinder-port 32, so that the suction exerted through the latter is constantly transmitted to the channels 37, 38, 39 and through their extensions-42 to both of the long gaps or spaces between the margins of the sliding, curved valves and is also transmitted to the space between the inner face of the valve and the outer surface of the sleeve 14, thus withdrawing the excess lubricant from these cavities and preventing its upward passage along the valve and its entrance into the intake-manifold or firing-chamber of the cylinder through the fuel intake ports.

As will be readily understood, the suction at port 33 acts similarly or analogously with respect to valve 21 precluding a surplus of lubricant from finding access to the engine exhaust ports.

. The upper part of the outer surface of each valve, above its port or ports, has a number of horizontal or transverse spaced channels 44 45, 46, the topmost one 44 having shallower end extensions 47, 47 reaching to the side edges of the valve, such channel 44 also having a number of perforations or holes 48, 48 extended through the valve to its inner surface.

In addition, a short longitudinal groove 49 in register or alignment with the port 25 extends down from the top end of the valve to a place slightly below groove 44,

' The purpose of roove 49 is to prevent the upper section of tie valve from closing the port 25 during a portion of its sliding travel.

Obviously, the upper part of the companion valve 21 is similarly equipped and cooperates with the opposite port 26.

The reciprocatory piston and the associated sliding valves are lubricated in any convenient or approved manner, for example, either by forced feed, or by the splash system from the engine crank-case, not shown.

The suction or subatmospheric pressure present in the conduits 27 and 28 abstracts the excess lubricant from the sealing-head compartment, from the grooves 44 and from the spaces between the edges of the valves, as well as to some extent from the upper part of the spaces between the valves and the inner sleeve. 7

In some cases, it may be desirable to supply lubricant or lubricant-charged gases through one of the conduits 27 or 28 and withdraw the surplus lubricant through the other conduit, thus assuring adequate lubrication of the parts, but without an excess consumption of such oil.

In a more or less like manner, the suction existing at the cylinder-ports 32 and 33 removes any undue amount of lubricating oil from the channels 37, 38 and 39, and, by reason of the presence of the smaller channels 42, 42, from the spaces between the longitudinal edges or margins of the valves, and, because the slots 43 extend through the valves, also from the spaces between the inner faces of the valves and the outer surface of the stationary sleeve.

A portion of the features of engine construction illustrated in Figure 1 and not claimed herein will constitute the subjectmatter of a separate patent application.

The invention of this application is not limited and restricted to the exact details of structure shown and described and these may be modified within comparatively wide or radical limits without departure from the heart and essence of the invention as defined by the appended claims and without the loss of any ofits material benefits and advantages.

I claim:

1. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a cylindrical sleeve inside of said cylinder, a piston reciprocatory in said sleeve, a valve slidable between and lengthwise of said cylinder and sleeve, means to reciprocate said valve, means to lubricate said valve, and means to withdraw the excess lubricant from the space along an edge of said valve.

2. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a cylindrical sleeve inside of said cylinder, a piston reciprocatory in said sleeve, a valve slidable between and lengthwise of said cylinder and sleeve, means to reciprocate said valve, means to lubricate said valve, and means to withdraw the excess lubricant from the spaces along the opposite lengthwise edges of said valve.

3. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a cylindrical sleeve inside of said cylinder, a piston reciprocatory in said sleeve, a valve slidable between and lengthwise of said cylinder and sleeve, means to reciprocate said valve, means to lubricate said valve, said valve having a surface channel connecting with the space along a longitudinal edge of the valve, and means to withdraw the excess lubricant from said space through said channel.

4. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a cylindrical sleeve inside of said cylinder, a piston reciprocatory in'said sleeve, a valve slidable between said cylinder and sleeve, means to reciprocate said valve, means to lubricate said valve, said valve having a main Surface channel connected by a channel smaller in cross-section than said main channel to the space along a longitudinal edge of the valve, and means to withdraw the excess lubricant from said space through said channels.

5. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, a cylindrical sleeve inside of said cylinder, a piston reciprocatory in said sleeve, a plurality of partially-cylindrical valves slidable in the space between said cylinder and sleeve and having adjacent edges, means to reciprocate said valves, means to lubricate said valves, and means to remove the excess lubricant from the spaces between the edges of said valves.

6. In an internal-combustion engine, the In combination of a cylinder, a cylindrical sleeve inside of said cylinder, a piston reciprocatory in said sleeve, valves slidable between said cylinder and sleeve, means to reciprocate said valves, means to lubricate said valves, said engine having a port communicating with the sealing-head compartment of the engine above said valves, said valves having means communicating with the spaces between their adjacent edges and with said compartment, whereby the contents of said spaces may be withdrawn through said ports by differences in pneumatic pressures. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. HOWARD A. FLOGAUS. 

